‘Good Girls’ and 6 More Canceled Network Shows That Fans Unsuccessfully Petitioned to Save

Despite fan campaigns, not every show can be saved. There have been a decent amount of series getting saved in recent years, from Manifest to Magnum P.I. to S.W.A.T. and more, and that’s only recently. It’s all because of the fans who put in the work and make it known that their show needs to come back. They go all out with billboards and campaigns. However, even despite the fandoms showing support, it doesn’t always work out.

Of course, not every show can be rescued, but that doesn’t mean it’s the lack of fans trying. Even years after a series has run its course, there are still hashtags and campaigns floating around for a particular show in the hopes that it would finally get picked up elsewhere. Unfortunately, not everyone is lucky, even when it comes to a beloved series. Shows like Good Girls, MacGyver, and others are some of the series where the campaigns just weren’t enough. And it’s definitely heartbreaking.

‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’

Last year, The CW’s most underrated Arrowverse series, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, was surprisingly part of the network’s slew of cancellations. The seventh and final season ended with many open storylines, including the introduction of Booster Gold, played by Scrubs alum Donald Faison. Sara also revealed she is pregnant with her and Ava’s alien baby. It was clear that the misfit group’s adventures were far from over. 

Fans quickly took to change.org in the hopes of saving it. As of now, the petition has reached over 31,000 signatures. Unfortunately, with the Arrowverse seemingly over on The CW following the end of , there doesn’t seem to be any plans to bring it back, 

‘GCB’

Short-lived ABC dramedy GCB (aka Good Christian Bitches or Good Christian Belles) only ran for 10 episodes in 2012. Starring an ensemble cast that included Leslie Bibb, Jennifer Aspen, Marisol Nichols, Miriam Shor, Annie Potts, and Kristin Chenoweth, the series centered on a recently widowed woman who moves her family back to an upscale Dallas-area town where she grew up.

Not long after the cancellation was announced, a change.org petition was created. Today, the petition has over 81,000 signatures. 11 years have passed, and the series has yet to come back. However, there is always the possibility it could be revived or rebooted. There was a reboot previously in development at The CW in 2018, but nothing came of it, unfortunately.

‘MacGyver’

One of the most painful and surprising cancellations on this list is MacGyver. The reboot of the beloved 1985 action drama ran for five seasons on CBS and takes place in the same universe as Hawaii Five-0 and Magnum P.I. CBS canceled the show in 2021, and fans were not happy. The series ended with the Phoenix Foundation cutting off government funding, meaning it would have set up a pretty interesting sixth season.

Prior to the cancellation, fans started a change.org petition in the hopes that MacGyver and co. would be coming back for Season 6. The petition has garnered over 31,000 signatures as of today. If you also come across any posts from CBS on social media, there’s a good chance there will be some #SaveMacGyver comments. It’s been two years, but that fandom is not backing down any time soon. The show has gotten rebooted before, maybe it will happen again, and with the same cast.

‘The Last Man on Earth’

Fox’s post-apocalyptic comedy The Last Man on Earth ran for four seasons. The series takes place a year after a deadly virus sweeps the world, ironically picking things up in late 2020, where Will Forte’s Phil Miller is seemingly the only human survivor. That is until he finally comes across other survivors. Fox canceled the series in May 2018, just four days after the Season 4 finale.

Fans created a change.org following the cancellation, which has over 21,000 signatures today. In 2018, Forte told Vulture on their Good One comedy podcast that, essentially, the fifth season would have seen the main characters infecting the remaining survivors. It doesn’t seem like that will be happening, so fans will just have to imagine it.

‘Rebel’

Katey Sagal starred in the short-lived ABC legal dramedy Rebel in 2021. Created by Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19‘s Krista Vernoff, it seemed like it would be a hit because of who was attached to the project. Sadly, that was no the case. Inspired by the life of paralegal Erin Brockovich, Rebel just a month after the series premiered.

Once again, fans were quick to take to change.org in the hopes of changing ABC’s mind. With a month still left of the season, they had an upper hand because they could still get fans to tune in. However, that was not the case. Even with over 93,000 signatures, there doesn’t seem to be any future for the series. 

‘Prodigal Son’

Fox’s Prodigal Son ran for two seasons before the network decided to call it quits. The series centered on profiler Malcolm Bright, whose father is an infamous serial killer, Dr. Martin Whitly. Starring Michael Sheen and Tom Payne, the series included twists and turns that no one would see coming. Perhaps the biggest twist that no one saw coming was the cancellation.

The series ended on a cliffhanger when Martin kidnapped Malcolm, but Malcolm stabbed his own father. Fans took to change.org to get the series saved, and the petition has amassed over 70,000 signatures. Even today, there’s a possibility that you could see a #SaveProdigalSon comment somewhere on social media. This one definitely still hurts, and after two years, it’s safe to say that the series won’t be coming back. 

‘Good Girls’

Another one that still hurts is Good Girls. The fan-favorite NBC dramedy was very close to a fifth season, but financials made it difficult. Starring Christina Hendricks, Retta, and Mae Whitman, the series followed three suburban Michigan mothers who experience various financial difficulties. It became an instant hit among viewers. Though just like the characters, NBC was also experiencing their own financial difficulties as it struggled to find stable ground for a fifth season.

Even so, fans still went onto change.org to try to change the network’s mind in 2021. The series achieved over 18,000 signatures, but as of now, it doesn’t look like it will be coming back any time soon.